The Irish standard., 1887-12-10

made IN attempt at dramatic author
ship. At twelve he wrote a play for a
number of bis school fellows, who were
apparently stage struck. This compo-
stion has not been handed down TO pos
terity, and probably the world has not
/ lost much By its destruction. Young
| Knowles next wrote kiud of opera on
the subject of the Chevaler de Gril}on,
which be presented to Richardson, the
friend of Richard Brinsley Sheridan,
who mislaid it, much to the chagrin of
the budding dramatist In. his four
teenth year the young aspirant to fame
made the acquaintance of William
Hazlitt, one Of the greatest literary
critics Of that time, and ventured to
submit to him few Juvenile produc-
tions. HaZiitt, singular man, rough
in manner and aggressive in the tone of
his criticism, exhibited a strange inter.
est in young Knowles. and encouraged
him TO pursue dramatic career. He
recognized in the efforts of this talented
boy a vein Of true poetry. In return
Knowles cherished feelings of gratitude
and affection for the great English
critic. He speaks of Hazlitt as his
mental father" and quantity adds:
''He loved me, taught me as a friend,
endearingjy praising or commencing,
as he saw cause, every little poem
which wrote" At IIaZ.itt;s house he
was introduced to Samuel CoIeridge
and Charles Lamb. Co)e1idge, who, as
Carlyle points out in hls Life Of John
Stirling,o never lost the opportunity OF
(metaphorlca}ly) pouring out the con-
tents Of his water bncket 90 every new
comer delivered extempore lectures ON
poetry for young Kn ewles' benefit;
Charles Lamb 0n the other hand, enter
tained the youth with his dry and
original hu,nor. Habits attachment
to James Sheridan Knowles is one of
the most touching facts in literary bio
graphy. When, years after, ':Virgin-.
ius' WAS acted in London with signal
success. the distinguished critic wrote
'''tha boy poet whom we have seer un-
altered in sentiment and unspoiled by
success, the same as when we first
knew him, unconscious of the wreath
/! he has woven round his brow. laughing
and talking Of his play just as if it he'd
been written by somebody else, and as
| siplple-hearted, downright, and honest
as the uublemished work ha had pro-
duced
In his twentieth year Sheridan
Knowles brought out q play called
ss1'he Spanish Storv," and five years
later produced q drama entitled, Her
silza." These works have been lost.
and it is impossible to pronounce any
opinicu on their merits. In 1903 The
yonng man revisited ireland and spent
some time in the society OF the Lefann
family, with whom he vas come ted.
The Rev. Peter I4efann, who perceived
his great talents, advised him to keep
clear Of the stage; but this a4yice was
not quite palatable to one who was com
plete]y snitten with the charms OF a
theatrical career. After some private
sahearsals at the Rev. Mir. Lefanu's
house in Clarlemont street, Dublin,
Knowles roade his debut at the Grow
Street Theatre; but it was not exactly a
brilliant success. In fact, he was only
an Indifferent actor, and it was :,s a
dramatic author shat ho WAS destined
to win his ;ss1fels.
In 1885, .F>he went to Waterford with
Cherry>s >company, and there made the
/acquajnta abce of Edmund Kean who
had come across from Swansea to fuIfl|
an eupagement. Knowles had play
ready .or the stage entitled lice; or,
The Gipsy,' and it was acted by the
| company in Waterford, Kean sustain
ing the principal part. This was
Knowles first acted play. Though the
play itself has beer, lost, nearly three
acts of it are given in Cromwell's ''Life
of Keap," and there are some passages
in it OF remarkable poM Knowles
accompanied Kean bac1AG6 Swansea,
having realized sufficient money 80 pay
his expenses by the publication Of a
little volume OF 'Fugitive Pieces" of
which many copies were taken by the
citizens of Waterford. After tli;s he
Joined Ta}bot's company, and acted in
various parts at Belfast. He was in
duced to turn aside from the stage fora
time and to set up a school in Belfast,
where he taught English and elocntion.
He was not, however, entirely idle, so
far as dramatic authorship was con-
ce1ned, for be introduced play called
brian Roroihme," an alteration Of a
piece placed in his hands by friend.
His next work WAS "Caius Gracchus,"
which was produced by Tablets COM
pany at Belfast, on the 18th OF Febru-
ary, 1915. The idea OF 'Virginius" had
been suggested to him by Edmund
Kean, and he completed this fine trag
edy soon after the production of s'Caius
Gracchus" 1t is his most ambitious
and, perhaps, his greatest dramatic
T,,,x, ir, tho fourth act